Prog 8

   

I've been trying to run before I could walk. I was reminded this morning that I'm only up to Prog 8, a mere two months after 2000 A.D. was launched. For all that lays ahead, I should enjoy these early moments of the comic and give myself time to breathe. Last week's issue for most enjoyable, and an earlier look at the cover suggests that me. All is good in the world, and what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon, than with a comic in hand and the sun on my face. 

Prog 8

16 April 1977

There is something reassuring about the fact the stories follow in the same order every week. I know that Invasion will always put me in the right frame of mind for all that will follow. This week we have Bill driving the wives and families of the resistance to the airport, to be flown to safety in Canada. Driving a London bus, Bill and his men shoot their way into the airport, making for the Concorde Mrk 2 that sits on the runway. It looks as though it may fail when Volgan aircraft fire heat-seeking missiles at the Concorde, but the Volgans fail to account for the Concorde's cold hydrogen engines. The Volgans become targets for their own weapons as the missiles fail to lock onto the Concorde and instead target their own hot engines. The final panels reveal that this was part of Bill's calculations, having learned such technical data from his own now dead airplane mad son. A good story, with plenty of action, and a plot twist near the end, makes for a nice package to begin this issue. Any panel will Bill Savage is worth viewing, and the death heads logo that appears on the London buses is another nuanced touch by the artist. Invasion is the most dependable strip week after week, long may it continue.   

Rating: 6/10

Best Line:  "It's a special excursion, lad, fixed by the...er..yer Uncle Bill"

Last week's Flesh promised a lot, and this week we get the payoff as Earl Reagan and Claw Carver set off for the base through miles of Dinosaur-infested jungle. We see the coldness of Carver early as the Doctor is killed by a prehistoric snake, and then a page later as he throws one of their own men off a raft in the face of danger from another dinosaur. The team survives dinosaur attacks across the first few pages before Carver sets a trap of his own - offering himself as bait. The final panels set us up for another drama-filled week next time around. Previously I found the art in Flesh too busy for my taste, but I have reconsidered that, I now find the attention to detail elevates the story beyond mere giant creatures smashing and bashing their way around. The friction between Carver and Reagan keeps the human element to the fore, and I find this issue takes last week's story and lifts it to another level.  

 Rating: 7/10

Best Line: "Try chomping on that, you slimy crittur!" 

Tension rises in Harlem Heroes as Giant continues his downward plunge with a failed jet pack. This was a great cliffhanger last week, I'm pleased to see it's immediately resolved in the first panels this week. Instead, after making a play off an opponent, Giant is caught by a teammate before a time-out is called. Appreciate that the story isn't rushed, and the drama of the situation is left to play out. It makes for a better read and is far more engaging. After going on to win the game, the ground crew report that no further jet backs had issues, and it looks as if sabotage is at hand. In the final panels, we see a cyborg player being prepared, a cyborg that wants to see the Harlem Heroes dead. I expected to see more of the game against the Siberian team here, but after the jetpack problem, the rest of the game was quickly resolved. The intrigue in the final page made up for it, and there is plenty to hang my interest on for next week's issue. A good solid story, this one bookends last week perfectly.      

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "That's it, boys... all together now, first one to catch me wins a kewpie doll!" 

Dan Dare started slow, but the last few issues have been great, and this one is no different. With the Odyssey being sucked into the Biogs living ship, Dan has no option but to follow. Without waiting Dan and the crew immediately exit their craft and set off to find the Odyssey. Taken deep inside the Biog's vessel, he is offered a bargain, deliver humans to the Biogs in exchange for everlasting life, an offer Dan immediately agrees to!  As always, the art is outstanding, and this story takes twice as long to read as any other story because there is so much to absorb on every page. The Biogs are proving to be a formidable enemy, and I for one can't wait to see what happens next. But for now, I just want to drown in this art.  

 Rating: 7.5/10

Best line: "Hear me, Brain of this ship. I want to live forever... I will betray my comrades."  

I enjoy this issue of M.A.C.H. 1 right up until the final two panels, and then it lets me down. In a tale of kidnapping, John Probe is sent to Spain to free maria Aragon after being snatched while her fiance did nothing. With ransom money in hand, John makes short work of the villain when it comes to the exchange, and from there travels by motorcycle to the villa where Maria is held. After a smashing entrance on the bike, he confronts the woman who is responsible for the kidnapping. At this point, all the air is let out of the story as she meekly surrenders in the face of Johns's display of strength. Up to this point, I had enjoyed it just as much as last week, but I feel badly let down by this conclusion. The story had a lot going for it, some great action, and art that captured the drama well, but the final panels see me rating this as only average rather than something on par with last week. However, John's final sentence gives me hope that next week the overall story will develop further. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line:  "I like her a lot, but MACH men aren't paid to have feelings" 

Judge Dredd restores balance with its humour and fantastical future. With petrol-driven cars being considered art in 2099, this week's story revolves around an art theft of a Morris Minor, something that has me laughing with the memory of my mother's Morris Minor when we were kids. Who knew that one day it would be worth 500,000 credits! It's up to Dredd to bring justice to the world, and this he does in great style, confronting the thieves at Krilz's Auto Market. This leads to a funny scene as Dredd is temporarily insights by a spray of plastic on his visor. Taunted by the thieves, he removes his helmet, only for them to recoil in horror at the sight. The story ends will the main villain Krilz being delivered to Dredd on a walk-eezee. I think this is the best Dredd so far, it was amusing and relatable and paced nicely at the end of the comic. In a large, complex, universe, Dredd is finding his feet, and I anticipate plenty more in the coming issues. 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line:  "We can deal with him! He ain't a robot, he's human.... I think!" 

Prog 8 final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story: Invasion 

Best Line: Krilz -  "Aargh! What's happened to Dredd's face - it's horrible!"

Best Panel:

Prog 7

  

What a cracking cover Prog 7 has. If I saw this sitting with the other comics in the store I guarantee it would've been the first thing I grabbed. With an intense-looking Dan Dare and the world in peril, I'm sold immediately. Let's get into it and see if the stories live up to the cover. 

Prog 7
9 April 1977

The first page of Invasion is just as good as the Dan Dare cover. With Volgans at Paddington station commandeering the London to Cardiff train, there are several things that catch my eye. The first thing I notice is the sign proclaiming the channel tunnel opening in 2002.  For once British Rail was ahead of history, and the channel tunnel in reality opened in 1994 - a small victory for the British rail system over the artist in this case. I also notice the return fare to Oxford of 234 pounds. Inflation has been bad, but I don't recall it getting quite to those levels in terms of expense to Oxford in 1999. Elsewhere, the two-hour hover train to Glasgow seems pretty good to me, if only it came to fruition. Meanwhile, back in the story itself, a convoy of Volgans is delayed at a signal crossing the signalman, who turns out to be Bill Savage. Stuck on the train lines, the earlier commandeered train, loaded with troops, strikes the Volgan convoy - killing a Field Marshall and killing hundreds of troops in the derailment. It's not a total victory for the resistance, they are attacked by helicopters after a tip-off from one of their own. There is a lot to like in this issue, there is great art at every turn, and my eye lingers long on several pages. Bill Savage is at his best, this time picking up a rocket launcher to take out the choppers, and this gives him a couple of great lines and memorable images. This opening story has made an impression on me that I hope the rest of the issue can match. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Best Line:  "Off the train British scum, when we Volgans travel, we go first class!"

The story continues to move forward in Flesh, although the central plot today is dominated by the Dinosaurs rather than the humans. While Earl Reagan is in Carver City, the rest of his rangers wait, not knowing that at that moment Reagan is in the midst of a battle with the old one-eye, the Tyrannosaur. Things aren't looking good for Reagan, but the fumes of the burning plastic get into the eye of old one-eye, setting her rampaging out of the city. After killing a ranger, and then an Alamosaur, old one-eye finally calms down and the story returns to Reagan who makes an uneasy truce with Claw Carver as they leave Carver City, facing hundreds of miles of jungle and armed with only Reagan's knife Carver's claw. This issue is a step up from last week, and I appreciated seeing more dinosaur action, without the need for humans to be on every page. Like the preceding Invasion, there are many stand-out panels, and the final panel sets out what could be a heroic journey next week. 

 Rating: 6/10

Best Line: "If that's someone's idea of a good time, I think I'll choose ice planet Zeldo-6 for my next holiday" 

Harlem Heroes builds nicely on the story from last week as they continue their match against the Siberian Wolves. his week. I wasn't the biggest fan of last week's issue, but this one takes it and adds to the story in a compelling manner. The action remains firmly in the field of play, and as the game unfolds so does the wider story. The Russians are still playing hard, their own casualties a second thought to obtaining victory. Things reach a peak as the last page sees Giant's jetpack malfunction, sending him on a collision course with the roof. As he ejects he has two thoughts - is someone going to catch him, and is this a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Harlem Heroes. Previously I haven't been a fan of seeing these games play out, but I do like this one. There is a very good mix in this issue between the instant action, and the wider plot, making for a story that delivers instant gratification and some intrigue. 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "They've taken out Borises two, four, six, and seven..but one Boris is nearly through!" 

The high levels set by Dan Dare last week are maintained through this week's episode as his troubles with the Biogs continue. After taking control of an alien axe that has a mind of its own, Dan and Monday find the mother Biog, from which all Biogs draw their energy. I enjoy seeing Dan take on the mother Biog, but unfortunately, the battle is rather underwhelming as she is easily defeated with Dan's living axe. From here they take off from Jupiter's surface, only to face the Biogs living spaceship in the final panel. The artwork on the planet, and of the Biogfs themselves, is fantastical, and just as good as the story. The battle with mother Biog is the only disappointment in the issue, it seems all too easy for Dan and his axe, but with every other part of the story capturing my imagination I can overlook this easy enough. I find myself typing this every week, but I can't wait until the next issue! 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "This alien axe has a mind of its own! It's alive and it's trying to kill me"  

It feels like a lot happens in this issue of M.A.C.H. 1 and after going back and counting the pages I see it sprawls across seven pages. Like some of the other stories, it continues to build on its previous issues, and in this case, once again we see John Probe ignoring the computer side of him, and instead, he is running with his emotions. I like this aspect of the story, and it raises it above John being a mere instrument of good and bad. The fact that the government would like him to be an unfeeling instrument is shown in the first pages as it is sent to South America to rescue a British arms dealer, Armstrong,  something that perhaps doesn't feel quite as heroic in modern times. Guided by a local, Pepe, he finds his man who is at first reluctant to be rescued, given that the chances of survival seem slim. Upon making their escape, John sees that Pepep has been taken prisoner, and ignoring the advice of his computer sets about rescuing him. After several pages of action, with John fighting, then feigning weakness, before being taken captive, we come to the highlight of the issue. Tied to two stone columns, like a modern Samson, John pulls it all down around himself, freeing himself, Pepe, and the Armstrong.  Another successful mission sees Probe fly off in a helicopter towards next week's issue. The action scenes here are well paced, and the story has more room to breathe across seven pages. I haven't had a lot of good things to say about MACH 1 so far, but this is the best issue of the run to this point.  

Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "Don't get soft Probe. You're here to get me out- not a dirty peasant brat" 

The opening panel of Judge Dredd is fantastic, with a giant statue of a judge erected beside the statue of liberty. From this opening panel, the story takes off and doesn't stop until the final panel a few pages later. As the statue is unveiled, a group of muggers is in action in the street below. Judge Dredd brings justice to them, as their leader takes to the sky in an air taxi, wrecking more havoc. The ever calm Judge Dredd proceeds to the top of the statue, from where he shoots the perpetrator who ends up impaled on the neighboring statue of liberty and delivers the knowing line "No one can take liberties with the law" These Judge Dredd stories make me laugh so much, I love the playful aspect of them. And it helps that he looks so cool in every panel. I wouldn't consider this issue high literature, but all the elements come together in a tidy package that makes for an enjoyable read. 

 Rating: 5/10

Best line:  "We can deal with him! He ain't a robot, he's human.... I think!" 

Prog 7 final ratings:

Overall: 6.5/10

Best Story: Invasion 

Best Line: Earl Reagan  "We gotta cover hundreds of miles of jungle - with no guns. We'll be fighting dinosaurs on their own terms. But I've got my knife... "

Best Panel:

Prog 6

 

Yesterday's prog was pretty good and with another fantastic cover beckoning me, rather than wait until next week I'm going to read another one right now.  

Prog 6
2 April 1977

Invasion moves up a gear this week, with Savage setting a trap for the Volgans. With Wembley Stadium renamed Victory Stadium by the Volgans, Savage and his team disguise themselves as weak and helpless civilians. Soon enough they are rounded up and taken to Victory Stadium for a publically televised execution, only to reveal themselves and take down the traitors and a morale boosting victory for the resistance. The final panel has Bill Savage singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" to the still rolling cameras. A feel this is a step up from last week, there seems to be more intensity to the story, and the ending with Bill singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" was a nice touch, and fitted in well with the football stadium centre piece. A nice cohesive issue, I rate this one highly.    

Rating: 7/10

Best Line:  "You're the dummies, Volgs!"

Flesh gets off to a great start with Claw Carver taking on the Dinosaurs one on one. It is a dynamic and action-pleasing fight and sets up well for the next few pages. After fighting off the dinosaur, Carver and Reagan get Joe back from a successful surgery. They then go on to set a fire to drive off the dinosaurs, but not before we get a great page where we see another man fall victim to the dinosaurs. It is a gruesome end, but most delicious. I am committed to reading the next issue as the final panels see Carver making good on his promise to end Reagan, throwing him to the dinosaurs and leaving him to fight off Old One Eye. This story is finally delivering on it that it has promised, and this is the best issue so far. There was a lot to enjoy here, and it promises just as much next week     

 Rating: 7.5/10

Best Line: "But in a claw fight, ain't nothin' faster than ol' Claw carver " 

The opening page of  Harlem Heroes features a fantastic picture of the Trans-Atlantic tunnel, and the story only gets better from there as they travel to the Soviet Union -still going strong in 2050. Arriving at the Palace of Aeroball in Moscow, they take on the Siberian Wolves, a team made up of thirty men, all seemingly intent on hurting the Harlem Heroes in any way they can. I must say, I love the artwork in this issue, and there are many images that stick in my mind after I put the comic down. We are finally hitting our stride with some of these stories, and Harlem Heroes is one of my favorites after a shaky start, 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "Heck, the Russians all look the same to me, folks, so I'll have to go by numbers...I'll call them all Boris." 

I enjoyed last week's Dan Dare immensely, and this week I am pleased to say is more of the same. The story has a dramatic start as onboard the ship the spacemen are charcoaled by half a million volts while Dr. Ziggy is still held hostage in the command bubble. Meanwhile, Dan Dare and Monday are still captive in an Alien and arrive at the alien's base. At this point of the story there is plenty of exposition explaining the alien's position, and need for fuel, or as Dan Dare so succinctly sums up "Okay, you got an energy crisis" From here to the end of the issue things speed up again as Dan and Monday battle the alien, ending with Monday killing it. It is interesting to look back at these stories and put them in the context of the times. The previous Harlem Heroes taking on Soviet Russia, and here in Dan Dare we have an energy crisis storyline, both hot topics in the late 70's. Its one thing I end about treading these old comics, and it gives a flavor of the times. 

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best line: "We're in the stomach of the alien. But not for long...let's blast our way out, Monday!"  

A Nazi Gold storyline is a cliche, but I have been itching to read this ever since I saw the excellent cover on Prog 6. featuring M.A.C.H. 1 The story delivers a couple of surprises, John Probe rescues a tortured agent Karl, who reveals the plot whereabouts of Nazi gold. He then dies, leaving John to muse that he wasn't just an agent, but someone he considered a friend. This seems to come from nowhere, I had no inclination that John had any friends from earlier issues, let alone when he first encounters Karl on the first page.  From here on the story writes itself, wth John finding the gold, then destroying the villains and their ship. Again, it's simplistic, but the action carries the day. It does quite live up to the cover but it's good enough.

Rating: 5/10

Best line:  "You heard him...he's had enough!" 

Judge Dredd and Megacity one are more important than the actual story they are telling in this issue. The story itself is one of body snatching, and transplant surgery, a case that Dredd cracks rather easily following the hi-jacked ambulance and breaking up the ring, not just those committing the hi-jacking, but those paying for the transplants - for receiving stolen goods. The story lights up every time Dredd is on the page or Mega-city One feature, and there is plenty of both in this case. Every panel of Dredd feels iconic, and it's hard not to forget the story and just stare at the Dredd panels. This issue isn't a masterpiece, but the art of Dredd is.  

 Rating: 5.5/10

Best line:  "Why does the judge never smile, ma?" 

Prog 6 final ratings:

Overall: 7/10

Best Story: Flesh

Best Line: Claw Carver- "I said you'd die when all this was over..! You destroyed my town! You and one eye- you can both die in the flames!"

Best Panel:

Prog 5

 Sunday morning and all is quiet. My wife is catching up with the news on her phone while the rest of the house is mine. With only my own thoughts for company, this week's edition is calling me, its cover demanding I pick it up. Now, one should never judge a book by its cover, but Prog 5's cover shows a dramatic scene of Judge Dredd battling a giant cyborg, while the text in the corner proclaims "The comic of tomorrow, today!" How could one resist such a cover, it's time for me to lose myself in the world of 2000 A.D. for the next half hour.

Prog 5
26 March 1977

There is the potential for Invasion to tip over into war comic territory, however, the characters lift it above such fodder. Things are starting to move quickly with this story, Savage has taken on the code name "Mad Dog" and is living up to his billing. Batting in the streets of London, he sets a trap for the Volgans in Trafalgar Square, before escaping to the Isle Of Dogs - something I can relate to having lived in the Isle Of Dogs for several years myself. With lots of snappy lines, there is plenty to enjoy in this issue. On the downside, it never quite delivered a killer panel or twist for me, a tasty morsel of an issue rather than a substantial meal. But next week will be great, I can just feel it.  

Rating: 6/10

Best Line:  "We're the Mad Dogs, Volg! And you just turned us loose!"

It's all coming back to me now - the Tyrannosaurs are loose in Carver City, while Reagan still requires a gland from one of them to save Joe's life. It is the dinosaurs that take centre stage again in this story, and that is perhaps how it should be, with the Tyrannosaur being so visually stimulating. There is a couple of turns in the plot to keep us engaged between the dinosaur action, while Reagan manages to fight old-one eye and get what he needs to save Joe, there is still the issue of Claw Carver wanting revenge for the havoc wreaked upon his city. So while the dinosaurs turn on each other outside, inside the humans do the same, the issue ending with an uneasy truce that sets us up nicely for the next issues. The story is simmering nicely, and the artwork is still fantastic, so even though I'm giving this an average rating, there is plenty in its favor, the average mark reflecting that I am expecting much more in future issues.    

 Rating: 5/10

Best Line: "I am not programmed to deal with this situation" 

I can't say that I am particularly thrilled by Harlem Heroes this week. The first couple of pages over given over to the end of the game of aeroball they were playing against Baltimore last week, and as an easy victory, there is;t a lot on the page that speaks to me. Things improve with the appearance of Ulysses Cord, a gentleman who has just paid a hundred million dollars for the tri-vision rights on aeroball. No doubt this was an unbelievable amount of money in 1977, but having seen Chelsea FC waste the same amount of money on Lukaku last season, it seems like the deal of the century to modern eyes. Ulysses Cord is splashing the cash, all the Heroes have to do is keep winning and bring the world championship back to America. In these modern times, it feels all too familiar, and I can't help but compare it to the Premier League and some of the modern clubs competing with wealthy investors behind them. Things aren't all that they seem, and Giant smells a rat - after all why would someone spend that much money on them after only winning one game. There is another game at play, and the thought of this makes me forget those first couple of pages. 

 Rating: 6/10

Best line: "Yeah, it sure sounds great! On the other hand, someone might just be throwing us to the wolves" 

I set my expectations high for Dan Dare early on, and this episode meets those expectations and more. The first couple of pages has me in love with the art and the weirdness of the situation as well as the creatures they are encountering. A younger me might have used the word scared,  but the more mature me prefers the world uncomfortable. Seeing one of Dan Dare's colleagues ingested by one of these horrible creatures is especially uncomfortable and I'm glad I'm reading this in the morning, and not at night just before sleep and the nightmares that would ensue. Although Dan manages to blow one up, he and Monday still find themselves inside one of the creatures, where they are transported in the stomach back to the creature's base. A gruesome thought, but not without precedent, as Monday rightly points out that there is an earth story about a chap in the whale which is similar. Meanwhile, back on the ship things are just as bad, with the aliens seizing control of the ship. All seems lost, I will be rushing back to this story as soon as I can in the next issue. 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "My God, I'm being sucked in, alive!"  

The issue of M.A.C.H. 1 is better than last week and I warm to it a little more. While on holiday, John Probe is taken by an illegal arms dealer, Otto Brandt, who wants to steal the secrets to his super strength. John Probe goes willingly, his human emotion overriding the computer intelligence when innocent bystanders are butchered. He does eventually fight back, once they are airborne and this makes up the second half of the story. I think I preferred the first half of story, seeing the human aspect of the character talking to the computer, and making his own emotional-based decisions. The second half of the story is all action, with plenty to enjoy with the fight scenes. 

Rating: 5/10

Best line:  "I eat a lot of spinach" 

Judge Dredd ends the issue on a high. The cover promised much, and the story matches the cover. In a whodunit, Dredd has a series of murders on his hands, which leads him to O'Neil, sensor-round salesman, and curator of the special effect museum. This leads to confrontation, and Dredd's final battle against the greatest movie monster of all time -Kong. It's a fast-moving story, with a healthy dash of humor, weirdness, and futurism. As always, the art suits the story style, and I would rate this story more highly if only I didn't know that there is much better yet to come. A good ending to a solid issue, and a pleasant way to start my Sunday 

 Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "Dredd's attacking the cyborg! But he'll go over the edge, and we're two miles up!" 

Prog 5 final ratings:

Overall: 5/10

Best Story: Dan Dare

Best Line: Judge Dredd- "To think, I could get a robot-cleaner for half the price and save all her nagging"

Best Panel:

Prog 4

I feel I have been too tough on 2000 A.D. so far.  It is still finding its feet in the first few issues as I am finding my feet with this blog. I have some empathy with the comic creators, and I know its just a matter of patience. I think the next Progs will improve greatly, and I hope that this blog too will continue to improve as time goes on. Bear with me, we still have a long way to go. 

Prog 4
19 March 1977

The cover certainly promises plenty and the opening pages don't disappoint with Invasion continuing apace. Opening with a plan of the resistance lair, it harks back to an earlier age when all good villains and heroes had a secret underground base. Judging from the schematic they seem well equipped and ready to take it to the enemy. Savage is introduced to his new colleges and immediately challenges them, and the authority of the Brigadier by demanding to see their hands. Like a good whodunnit reveal, Savage seizes upon the man with the smoothest hands as being an infiltrator, leading to some top elevator action as he hooks himself beneath the lift and deals with the traitor at surface level. This is the bulk of this week's story, the final panels seeing Savage and the resistance taking the fight to London. I enjoyed the story, it was faced paced and had some good action moments. Perhaps the only disappointment being Savage's dialogue wasn't as snappy as in the previous issues. There could have been more to the story, but a whole page dedicated to the map of the secret base did feel a bit much, almost drawn from a different type of comic altogether.

Rating: 6/10

Best Line:  "When you gonna use your hardware up in the outside world and kill some dirty Volgans?" 

I have two feelings about Flesh. Firstly, I think it is the most original story in these early Progs, a fantastic hybrid of ancient Dinosaurs and modern tech. My other feeling isn't quite so positive. The artwork is just too busy for my eyes. Maybe it is because I'm getting older, but as I read now, as much as I enjoy the power of the dialogue and story, the art seems to get in the way of the story. This week's issue has plenty of the key elements of the story world in action, a rampaging dinosaur, and a robot sheriff, along with a gentleman who has Dinosaur claws for hands. Now there's a lot to love right there, so let's see how it all fits together. We have the one-eyed Tyrannosaur on the first page still seeking out vengeance, before the following page introduces Reagan and the rangers approaching a domed city, ostensibly to protect them from the roaming dinosaurs. Seeking medical attention for Joe, Reagan enters Carver city, whereupon he meets a Robot Marshall who removes his guns - no guns allowed in Carver city. In the Saloon he finds a doctor to help, only to be told that the cure for Joe involves a gland from a living Tyrannosaur's throat. It is then that he encounters the town's mayor, a certain 'claw' Carver, who has a dinosaur claw where his hand should be. The ensuing fight sees the dome crack, and one angry Tyrannosaur enters, setting us up for next week's adventure. This story is hotting up, and I particularly liked the robot marshall and the fight between Reagan and Carver. And for my complaint about the artwork earlier, I really got a kick out of the final panels. It will be very tempting to skip straight to this story in the next issue. 

 Rating: 6.5/10

Best Line: "Here it is you metal freak. Now tell me where the Doc is" 

The opening panel of Harlem Heroes is an immediate contender for my panel of the week, as Zak plunges towards a panicked crowd. They need not have panicked as Hairy and Giant swoop in to save the day. A severe telling-off leads to Zak rejoining the game later in the issue, a seemingly reformed player in light of this incident. The final page of the story sees a reveal that perhaps the accident that wiped out the heroes in the first issue may not have been the accident it first seemed. For all my mixed feelings about Harlem Heroes (the first issues were quite up and down) this one seems to get it right, and with a larger story arc appearing it has suddenly become a lot more interesting. I had high hopes for this story early on, and in this issue, it is beginning to fulfill those expectations. Hopefully, it will deliver as the story develops further.

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "A little gutter-hound like you will never make a Hero - not in a thousand years! So why don't you clean up and bug off - before I'm sick to my stomach."  

Dan Dare does some good old-fashioned manual flying to land his spacecraft in the storm that begins this week's episode. After a daring landing on Jupiter, they find a power source that causes Logan's space suit to fail, Jupiter's gravity crashing him to a dot just as the cover of this week's comic promised. That's not the end of the action though, as Dan and Monday find themselves confronted by a giant, vile bug. meanwhile, back on the ship Dr. Ziggy faces a monster of her own that finishes the story. This week's story isn't 100% my cup of tea, but I do so enjoy the artwork within. Both the surface of Jupiter when they land and the bug they meet there are brilliantly rendered, and place this story literally out of this world. This is another story that had a slow start, but in this issue, I finally feel its pull drawing me in, and I know that with another issue as good as this one next week, I'll be fully hooked. 

 Rating: 7/10

Best line: "You crazy? This is the 22nd century- No-one uses manual controls anymore!"  

The first few issues of M.A.C.H. 1 haven't grabbed me by the scruff of the neck in the same way as the other stories in  2000 AD, and unfortunately this issue also fails to hold my attention. Once again it feels like a one-shot, this time Simon Probe setting off to Irania to assassinate the president. His plan involves being captured by the secret police, and then once he is brought forth to the president he carries out the plan, but only after taking a bullet from a Rhino gun. It gets six pages to tell its story, and compared to the other stories in the issue it seems a drag. A tighter story would have served it well or as part of a larger story. But here it is neither. I still hold out hope that some wider arc will emerge from this story, there are hints but as yet nothing is emerging from the mists. 

Rating: 3/10

Best line:  "I've come to kill your president" 

I am restored by the Judge Dredd story that follows. There is more world-building as we meet the Brotherhood of Darkness who are looting and spreading terror through Mega-City One. Disguising himself as one of the brotherhood, Judge Dredd travels with them back outside Mega-City One where he frees the mayors son, before driving back to safety on his bike. Not the most complex story, but the world that is being created issue by issue is fantastic, and I am already anticipating the next stories. As always, the art matches the story, and although this isn't the best story of the issue, it is right up there as one of my favorites in these pages. 

 Rating: 6/10

Best line:  "This sure beats handing out speeding tickets" 

The final page is a piece of humour that sees the issue end on another high. A page dedicated to the advertising of Dinosaur meat as per Flesh, it is both unexpected and refreshing. I'm not sure if there will be similar things in future issues, but I certainly hope so

Prog 4 final ratings:

Overall: 5/10

Best Story: Harlem Heroes

Best Line: Dan Dare - "If Neil Armstrong could bring down his Apollo capsule on the moon - I'm posi-sure I can land this beachball on Jupiter!" 

Best Panel: